If you are a gardener, in any shape or form, and listened to the Kojo Nnamdi show yesterday on WAMU, you are already in a panic. MARCH IS CRITICAL!! (Yes, I'm yelling). I'd never heard of Adrian Higgins but just the way he said "de rigour" when describing fig tree prep got me all in a tizzy. Higgins also talked about a new book by Jeff Gillman that separates the wheat from the chaff when it comes to organic gardening. It is on my "to-read" list. Holly Shimizu of the U.S. Botanic Gardens brought some wonderful things for listeners to smell - wish I could found out what they were without purchasing a transcript. They were all lovely plants with names I can't remember as I was too busy making a right hand turn from the far left hand lane.
**update**
Carrie has posted an update on SaltandChocolate.
Showing posts with label Washington Post. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Washington Post. Show all posts
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Plastic Bags Redux
A little opinion piece over at The Washington Post has the commenters (albeit just 16 at this writing) commenting.
I really can't sympathize with the author when she writes, "While subbing tap water for bottled water is effortless, giving up plastic bags is an inconvenience." but like the overall tone of Ms. Black's piece, I can't tell if she's being facetious or not.
But then again, I find giving up a lot of things for the greater green an inconvenience, so maybe it just depends on your inconvenience threshold!
Case and point, I think it's time for Gift of Green to give up the Ziplocs.
I really can't sympathize with the author when she writes, "While subbing tap water for bottled water is effortless, giving up plastic bags is an inconvenience." but like the overall tone of Ms. Black's piece, I can't tell if she's being facetious or not.
But then again, I find giving up a lot of things for the greater green an inconvenience, so maybe it just depends on your inconvenience threshold!
Case and point, I think it's time for Gift of Green to give up the Ziplocs.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Green Musings
'Ello luvs.
Lots of chit chat to share with you this evening.
First, as I mentioned, lots of linking to green giveaways to ensue...My Two Boys is featuring a lovely tool set from Natural Pod and an adorable doll from HappyGreenBee.
Perusing through the Post this morning...back to back items of interest. One piece about bloggers and 10 tips to see and be seen in the blogosphere, and another about green, green, and more green by Michelle Thomas. Setchi is a new boutique on Wisconsin Avenue in the Georgetown section of D.C. According to its owner, Jessica del Pilar, all of the store's items "lay claim to at least one of four green concepts. Every item is made of organic fabrics or reclaimed materials, or it is produced locally or according to fair-trade standards." Worth a look-see even if if the Again Clutch is entirely beyond my budget.
Speaking of fabulous things but within budget, I must make a shameless plug for Because I'm Me...'s Etsy shop, now almost fully stocked. I purchased one of her quilts some time ago now - the fabrics are just luscious.
Non-sequitor - Big Binder has drawn my attention to a clever little program in Michigan...Paper Gator Recycling...as a fundraiser. So long Sally Foster!
While I have decided that I am no longer entirely uncrafty, I sure am not crafty enough to make one of these fabulous eco-friendly lunch bags. See 'em and swoon over at Sew, Mama, Sew.
Lots of chit chat to share with you this evening.
First, as I mentioned, lots of linking to green giveaways to ensue...My Two Boys is featuring a lovely tool set from Natural Pod and an adorable doll from HappyGreenBee.
Perusing through the Post this morning...back to back items of interest. One piece about bloggers and 10 tips to see and be seen in the blogosphere, and another about green, green, and more green by Michelle Thomas. Setchi is a new boutique on Wisconsin Avenue in the Georgetown section of D.C. According to its owner, Jessica del Pilar, all of the store's items "lay claim to at least one of four green concepts. Every item is made of organic fabrics or reclaimed materials, or it is produced locally or according to fair-trade standards." Worth a look-see even if if the Again Clutch is entirely beyond my budget.
Speaking of fabulous things but within budget, I must make a shameless plug for Because I'm Me...'s Etsy shop, now almost fully stocked. I purchased one of her quilts some time ago now - the fabrics are just luscious.
Non-sequitor - Big Binder has drawn my attention to a clever little program in Michigan...Paper Gator Recycling...as a fundraiser. So long Sally Foster!
While I have decided that I am no longer entirely uncrafty, I sure am not crafty enough to make one of these fabulous eco-friendly lunch bags. See 'em and swoon over at Sew, Mama, Sew.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Green Suggestions for Greener Babies
Both Green Boss and Green Pharmacist alerted me to an article in this weekend's Washington Post by Mary Ellen Slayter, Greening Up Baby.
Slayter covers six topics: food, travel, toys and soothers, diapers, clothes and the nursery. Since the Post did not think to do it, here are actual, real live active links to the products and people Slayter mentions in her article for those beginning wanna-greenies who want to delve a little deeper.
First up is Trish Riley's book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Living" - granted I don't like being called an idiot, I will no doubt trip on down to my local library to check out a copy.
Then there's Soleil Moon Frye's Eco Baby store in Larchmont Village (LA, not Westchester). Evidently no online store yet. Maybe GreenLAGirl will check it out for us, if she hasn't already.
Under Food, Mary Ellen mentions Safeway's O Organic formula, Similac Organic formula, Wal-Mart's Parent's Choice formula. And yes, she mentions the breast, bien sur.
Next up, travel. I never did the sling thing but I kind wish I had. Mentioned in the Post are Attachment Parenting International, The Moby Wrap, and All Natural Mommies in Vienna, Virginia. Who knew about this last one! I'll have to take a field trip! For oogling at mei tais, my favorite blog is Montessori by Hand. Ah... adorable!
Toys and Soothers is near and dear to my heart, mentioning thrift and consignment stores and our family favorite...yard sales!! Wooop!
If I had to do it all over again (and I won't, thank you very much), I would have integrated some cloth diapers into my diapering rituals. Mentioned in the Slayter article are Seventh Generation chlorine-free disposables (although the author mentioned bleach-free - are they one and the same...as in chlorine bleach?), as well as Fuzzi Bunz, Bum Genius, and Kissaluvs.
I'm a sucker for hand-me-downs, so I have bought almost nothing of the clothing variety for my children. They look pretty swanky to me. Mentioned as organic options are duds from Hanna Andersson (caught a typo there unless there is another Hanna Anderson that I'm not aware of) and Speesees (never heard of that one...will wonders never cease!?).
And finally...the nursery. I can't tell you how much money we didn't spend on our poor children in the nursery department. We didn't have a changing table!! What kind of parents are we?! Love the Ikea line (I'm linking to the British Ikea, I love them so) and now even Babies R Us is selling an organic crib mattress made by Serta, which I totally would have gotten. Yucky plastic-y out-gassing be gone! Any other options out there?
Phew, my linky thumb is getting a twitch. All in all, a nice primer for parents; on the front page of the business section, interestingly enough. Good luck with the greening!
Slayter covers six topics: food, travel, toys and soothers, diapers, clothes and the nursery. Since the Post did not think to do it, here are actual, real live active links to the products and people Slayter mentions in her article for those beginning wanna-greenies who want to delve a little deeper.
First up is Trish Riley's book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Living" - granted I don't like being called an idiot, I will no doubt trip on down to my local library to check out a copy.
Then there's Soleil Moon Frye's Eco Baby store in Larchmont Village (LA, not Westchester). Evidently no online store yet. Maybe GreenLAGirl will check it out for us, if she hasn't already.
Under Food, Mary Ellen mentions Safeway's O Organic formula, Similac Organic formula, Wal-Mart's Parent's Choice formula. And yes, she mentions the breast, bien sur.
Next up, travel. I never did the sling thing but I kind wish I had. Mentioned in the Post are Attachment Parenting International, The Moby Wrap, and All Natural Mommies in Vienna, Virginia. Who knew about this last one! I'll have to take a field trip! For oogling at mei tais, my favorite blog is Montessori by Hand. Ah... adorable!
Toys and Soothers is near and dear to my heart, mentioning thrift and consignment stores and our family favorite...yard sales!! Wooop!
If I had to do it all over again (and I won't, thank you very much), I would have integrated some cloth diapers into my diapering rituals. Mentioned in the Slayter article are Seventh Generation chlorine-free disposables (although the author mentioned bleach-free - are they one and the same...as in chlorine bleach?), as well as Fuzzi Bunz, Bum Genius, and Kissaluvs.
I'm a sucker for hand-me-downs, so I have bought almost nothing of the clothing variety for my children. They look pretty swanky to me. Mentioned as organic options are duds from Hanna Andersson (caught a typo there unless there is another Hanna Anderson that I'm not aware of) and Speesees (never heard of that one...will wonders never cease!?).
And finally...the nursery. I can't tell you how much money we didn't spend on our poor children in the nursery department. We didn't have a changing table!! What kind of parents are we?! Love the Ikea line (I'm linking to the British Ikea, I love them so) and now even Babies R Us is selling an organic crib mattress made by Serta, which I totally would have gotten. Yucky plastic-y out-gassing be gone! Any other options out there?
Phew, my linky thumb is getting a twitch. All in all, a nice primer for parents; on the front page of the business section, interestingly enough. Good luck with the greening!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Back To Green...Back To Reality
I have certainly gotten a bit off-topic what with my freezer paper tutorial and my philosophising about all things Massachusetts. It's not from lack of material. There are so many green things going on that it's just a matter of deciding where to begin...
As I alluded to briefly in a previous post, the Washington Post's Color of Money columnist Michelle Singletary holds an annual Penny Pincher of the Year contest in which readers are invited to submit their best ideas for frugal living. This year, Michelle was looking for Green penny pinchers and green penny pinchers she did receive.
Third place winner was Amy Haden of Scottsville, Virginia who manages to bring home over 50 pounds a week of discarded coffee grounds, banana peels and other compost-fit contributions from her place of work. Both her chickens and her garden benefits.
The second place winner was Shirley Orth, an nurse from Del Mar, California, who decided that the one time use of an emesis basin for holding IV supplies was a complete waste "disposing over 500 of these per month". Their solution came from the IV tubing packaging itself: it included a small tray which they now reuse in place of those pink, plastic basins. A while back I posted on this very topic and so did my blogging friend over at Mom Go Green.
The grand prize winner was Tom Sponheim of Seattle Washington, who evidently visits coffee shop restrooms. A lot. But he is merely to adjust the water level in the toilet tanks! Tom estimates that during one particularly productive rounding, his "three or four hours of work would result in a savings of about 500,000 liters a year of water."
As I alluded to briefly in a previous post, the Washington Post's Color of Money columnist Michelle Singletary holds an annual Penny Pincher of the Year contest in which readers are invited to submit their best ideas for frugal living. This year, Michelle was looking for Green penny pinchers and green penny pinchers she did receive.
Third place winner was Amy Haden of Scottsville, Virginia who manages to bring home over 50 pounds a week of discarded coffee grounds, banana peels and other compost-fit contributions from her place of work. Both her chickens and her garden benefits.
The second place winner was Shirley Orth, an nurse from Del Mar, California, who decided that the one time use of an emesis basin for holding IV supplies was a complete waste "disposing over 500 of these per month". Their solution came from the IV tubing packaging itself: it included a small tray which they now reuse in place of those pink, plastic basins. A while back I posted on this very topic and so did my blogging friend over at Mom Go Green.
The grand prize winner was Tom Sponheim of Seattle Washington, who evidently visits coffee shop restrooms. A lot. But he is merely to adjust the water level in the toilet tanks! Tom estimates that during one particularly productive rounding, his "three or four hours of work would result in a savings of about 500,000 liters a year of water."
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